Bella's Thanksgiving Hours
by DuckiBelle
Summary: Bella deals with her father, friends, a former teacher, her father's girlfriend and her daughter. Plus, the added drama of Fork's new doctor, his wife, their daughter and her husband, their niece and her husband, and their late to the party son.
1. Preview

Bella's Thanksgiving Day

Bella deals with her father, friends, a former teacher, her father's girlfriend and her daughter. Plus, the added drama of Fork's new doctor, his wife, their daughter and her husband, their niece and her husband, and their late to the party son.

**Ages:**

Bella 28

Charlie 52

Jacob 28

Sue 49

Leah 29

Seth 15

Carlisle 48

Esme 48

Alice 28

Jasper 29

Rosalie 33

Emmett 34

Edward 28

I will start posting the story at 3am Pacific Time. I will try to post on the hour, but I do have to cook and drive some tomorrow.

I hope you enjoy!

DuckiBelle


	2. 3 am

_Sorry the first few are late. Power went out, my phone died, no alarm, and my family's Thanksgiving will be later than anticipated._

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**3am**

"**Because I'm happy****  
****Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof****  
****Because I'm happy****  
****Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth****  
****Because I'm happy****  
****Clap along if you know what happiness is to you****  
****Because I'm happy****  
****Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do"**

"I am not happy!" Bella thought as she turned over to slap her alarm quiet. "I am definitely not happy to be waking up at 3 o'clock in the morning!"

She fell out of bed and then, untangled her legs from her lavender sheets and sage green comforter. Heaving herself from the floor, she walked across her room to the door like she was half drunk.

After using the restroom and splashing cold water on her face, Bella made her way back to her bedroom. She flipped on the light switch and winced at the bright uncovered light bulb. She picked a pair of denims out of her drawer and slipped them on under her old nightshirt. Sorting through her t-shirt drawer, she found her old Forks High PE uniform shirt. She had always hated Physical Education, but she loved the Spartan on the front. The Spartan's strong jaw and rugged features reminded her of her father, Charlie. Charlie's simplistic, no frills or unnecessary knickknacks lifestyle added to his similarity to the Spartan image.

Bella trudged downstairs after getting dressed to make a cooler of sandwiches to send the men on their way. The men, in their wisdom, decided to get out of the women's way during the morning. In actuality, they just did not want to get hoodwinked into helping cook. So when she got downstairs, she double checked the list she had made the night before. Charlie liked deli turkey sandwiches with extra meat. He cheated at fishing by using some of that extra meat as bait. Billy is allergic to peanuts, so his smaller deli turkey sandwiches had to be separate from his son's, Jacob. Jacob only likes peanut butter and fluff sandwiches while Seth liked peanut butter and fluff sandwiches because Jacob, his idol, likes them.

After Bella made a three-to-four sandwiches for each guy, she put them in containers with their names on them with tape. She packed them in a cooler and then, set about gathering drinks for them to take out in the boats. Two thermos of milk and two thermos of coffee were set next to the cooler. Then, Bella filled another cooler with Cokes, Sprites, and Seth's choice of orange soda. She took one of the cans of orange soda back out for herself to drink after she fought with the turkey.

Bella headed upstairs to get her dad moving. Jacob, Billy, and Seth would be here in a short while. Charlie needed to be ready, so the others would not wake the neighbors by honking the horn several times. The neighbors really would not like any of them for that happening again this year.

Charlie was not in his bed when Bella looked through his open door. She peeked in the slightly ajar bathroom to see Charlie fully dressed sitting on the edge of the tub with a toothbrush hanging from his slack hand.

Bella was tempted to dash to her room to grab her phone for a picture, but thought better of it because her father is the chief of police. Instead, she softly said his name as she took the toothbrush out of his hand. He woke with a start and almost knocked his toothbrush out of her hand.

"Charlie, the guys will be here in a few minutes." Bella said gaining his attention. "You need to hurry. Last time, Billy honked the horn at almost 4am Mrs. Cope slapped a pumpkin cream pie on the hood of the truck."

"That was a good pie. I had to pull Jacob off of the hood to stop him from licking it clean." Charlie said while yawning and scratching his stubbly chin. "I guess I better head down."

Bella followed her father downstairs. Then, she laughed as he walked straight over to his overstuffed recliner and sank into it. Within ten seconds, Charlie's eyes were closed and a bear snore roared out of him.

Bella just shook her head at his predictable behavior and grabbed her winter coat off of the rack near the front door. Slipping into the coat, she walked to the kitchen. She grabbed the coolers and heaved them out onto the porch. She shut the door tight behind her deciding to leave the thermos of coffee and milk inside until the guys arrived.

Bella threw her coat over the arm of the sofa because she knew that she would need it again soon. Then, she curled up under the flannel throw that was on the sofa to wait until Charlie left before beginning to tackle the turkey.

Bella realize she must have fallen asleep because suddenly Jacob Black was in the entryway. Jacob silently motioned for her to join him in the kitchen. She followed him after checking that Charlie was still snoozing in his chair.

"Bells," Jacob said quietly as he picked her up and swung her around. "I picked Billy up here 9 last night and you still were not here from Seattle. What time did you get in?"

"I got in between 10:30 and 11. I wanted to finish grading my students' papers on their favorite musical poet." Bella explained in whisper while trying to stifle a yawn.

"What do you mean by their favorite musical poet?"

"Ice Cube, Drake, Snoop Dog, Notorious BIG, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, etc." Bella explained after giving up fighting and yawning big. "They don't know it yet, but when we get back they have the three weeks until finals to compare their artist to a word poet."

"You mean like that teacher did in Dangerous Minds with Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas?" Jacob questioned. After Bella nodded, Jacob quietly laughed "You are one, evil, sneaky, teacher! I love your sneaky ways."

"Thank you, kind sir." Bella said with a sarcastic bow. "Now grab the drinks, grab my dad, and get out. I have to start wrestling with a turkey and I do not want an audience."

* * *

_Author's Note~_

_This is a fun, quirky, little Thanksgiving story that popped into my head. I started it on November 23, 2017, while waiting for my turkey to cook. Some posts are longer than this one and some posts are shorter. I hope you enjoy!_

_DuckiBelle_


	3. 4 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**4 am**

Bella stood in the downstairs hallway at the bottom of the stairs for a full ten minutes after Jacob and Charlie walked out of the house at 4:04am. She looked between the recipe on the screen of her phone and the edge of her open bedroom door.

The recipe looked easy enough to accomplish, but it looked long and repetitive. She did not think that her father's friends would mind creating their own homemade pizzas if she made the dough and prepared any type of pizza topping imaginable. Maybe the new town doctor, his wife, his three adult kids, and two of their significate others would like to start a new tradition with the Swans, Blacks, and Clearwaters this year.

On the other hand, Charlie was trying to impress the new doctor to keep him enamored with the small, quaint town of Forks.

"Wow." Bella said into the stillness of the house. "Even this early in the morning, I think in SAT words."

Bella sighed knowing that Charlie would be disappointed if she flaked out on cooking the dinner. Since Bella realized she could not get out of cooking turkey, she decided to head downstairs to the basement and get the turkeys out of Charlie's extra refrigerator. So, Bella looked back at the recipe Charlie had emailed her from his favorite country artist and cook, Trisha Yearwood.

_Ingredients:_

_1/2 stick salted butter, softened__  
__One 12-pound turkey, completely thawed and all giblets removed__  
__2 tablespoons salt__  
__2 teaspoons pepper__  
__2 stalks celery, cut in lengths to fit turkey cavity__  
__1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, cut in half__  
__1 large carrot, cut in lengths to fit the turkey cavity__  
__2 cups boiling water_

Bella shrugged her shoulders and thought, "Those ingredients are easy enough to deal with even if I have to deal with the giblets. The numbers are easy enough to multiply for 4 turkeys. I will still be able to get all of the prep done in about 20 minutes."

Then, Bella realized she had a couple of hours after that to take a nap before being descended on by Sue and Leah Clearwater. Those two took it upon themselves to help Bella make the side dishes. Sue also liked to act Charlie's home was her own since she and Charlie announced they were dating last January.

Bella shook her head to clear it of Sue Clearwater and her manipulations of Charlie. Looking back at her phone, Bella continued to read the recipe.

_Adjust the oven racks so the covered roasting pan fit easily inside. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.___

_Rub the butter on the outside and in the cavity of the turkey. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on the inside and the outside of the turkey. Put the celery, onion and carrot in the cavity. Place the turkey, breast-side up, in a large roasting pan. Pour the boiling water into the pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and put the pan in the oven.___

_Start a timer when the oven temperature returns to 500 degrees F. Bake for exactly 1 hour and turn off the oven. Do not open the oven door! Leave the turkey in the oven until the oven completely cools; this may take 4 to 6 hours. _

"What in the monkey toes?" Bella said out loud laughing at the recipe. She was sure that the recipe would work, but she could not give up the oven and the three convection ovens for up to SEVEN hours! "Charlie will just have to live without a Trisha Yearwood turkey this year. Maybe next year he can have it **if** we do a potluck where everyone makes things at their own house."

Bella quickly scrolled through the Food Network website to find a new recipe. She filed through an Alton Brown, Anne Burrell, and Ida Garten, but none of those seem right. Finally, Bella settled on a Bobby Flay recipe that she had watched him make on a Thanksgiving special recently. Again, it was a receipt that was easy enough to double or quadruple in her case.

"It is only supposed to take about three hours start to finish with the turkeys. Plus, this will make Charlie try something new!" Bella thought as she headed toward the kitchen.

_Ingredients__  
__Turkey Glaze:__  
__1 1/2 cups pomegranate molasses__  
__3/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained__  
__3 tablespoons Dijon mustard__  
__1/2 teaspoon kosher salt__  
__1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper__  
__Turkey:__  
__1 (about 15 pounds) fresh turkey__  
__1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened__  
__Salt and freshly ground black pepper__  
__4 cups low-sodium canned broth_

__Bella started grabbing the ingredients and placing them on the kitchen table. She was surprised to see that Charlie had Dijon mustard and lots of chicken broth in his cabinets. She was unsurprised to see that he did not have unsalted butter and aluminum foil in his fridge and cabinets.

Seeing she was missing a few things, she wrote out a list and hoped that the grocery store in Port Angeles had pomegranate molasses.

Then, Bella trekked down the stairs to her dad's extra fridge. Usually this fridge was a freezer and held fish, fish, and more fish. Charlie had thawed it out and stocked it full with the four turkeys surrounded by sodas, beer, and five bottles of champagne.

Bella lugged the turkeys up the stairs one after the other. The whole time she was cursing herself for not asking Charlie and Jacob to bring them up before they went fishing. Once the turkeys were taken out of their wrappers and placed in the roasting pans, Bella placed them in the cold ovens. She was using Charlie's normally unused oven and the three convection ovens her mother had bought because she loved feeding huge groups from the town for any reason, even just a Tuesday that there was no rain when there was supposed to be. Her mother had decided not to take them when she left Charlie because she no longer wanted to be "a small town wife".

Bella glanced at the clock which read 4:56am. She realized if she did not eat breakfast and get to the grocery store soon, she would not be back before Sue and Leah arrived. Bella was a little worried Sue might try the Trisha Yearwood turkey recipe if no one was not at the house when she and Leah arrived.

Grabbing her coat that was still thrown over the arm of the sofa and her purse and keys from the table in the entry way, Bella dashed outside to her trusty, old, tank of a truck and headed to the diner for what she hoped would be a quick bite.

_Author's Note~_

_I got the recipes from Trisha Yearwood and Bobby Flay on . I have made the Bobby Flay recipe before and I love it. My best friend loves the Trisha Yearwood recipe (she cheats because she converted her garage into a professional kitchen with ten ovens for her catering business)._


	4. 5 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**5 am**

Bella drove the short distance to her father's favorite and the town's only diner. She was grateful because the parking lot only had a few cars in it. That means less people staring at and gossiping about the absentee daughter of the police chief's crazy ex-wife. Bella had originally gone with her mother, but her mother's free spirit, not settling down again, go where the sun takes her attitude began to wear on Bella as she entered high school. After being at two different high schools in her freshman year alone, Bell went to Forks High for her sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school before heading to Seattle for college.

She pulled in carefully and winced as her brakes squealed to a halt just before hitting the parking block. After putting the truck in park and turning it off, Bella leaned back against the seat as the cab quickly cooled since it had just started to get warm. She sat there so long that Mr. Molina, the high school's biology teacher stepped out the door to motion for her to get inside and out of the cold.

"Hello, Mr. Molina." Bella said rushing past him through the opened door of the diner. "How has school been so far this year?"

"There are not as many knuckle heads like Mike Newton this year, so pretty good." Mr. Molina smiled as he motioned Bella to her to join him at the counter. "Plus, I figured something out the other day."

"What is that?" Bella asked as she shrugged off her jacket and placed it on the back of the swivel counter chair before hopping up onto the seat. "Is it that Mike's little brother actually a bigger knuckle head than Mike?"

"Nope, that Newton may have learned from his big brother's mistakes. He is a straight A+ student with academic and athletic college scholarship offers coming in."

"Good for the Newton's. Their mom must be so proud." Bella said thinking of the couple that employed her at their shop during her junior and senior years. "So, what did you think of the other day?"

"I will be eligible for retirement a couple of years well before Jessica and Mike Newton's son, Jeke, will make it to high school and my freshman Life Science class." Mr. Molina said with a look of pure satisfaction on his face. "I saw what pain and discomfort that child put Jessica through while she was pregnant in my sophomore Biology class. I do not want to see what he does to the rest of the world. Just between you and me, I think she came back for her senior year in the mornings to get a break."

Bella lifted her freshly filled coffee mug and toasted with her former teacher. She ordered a breakfast of chicken and waffles with a side of cantaloupe. The next twenty or thirty minutes were spent chatting with Mr. Molina about the recent comings and goings of the Forks High alumni, staff, and current student gossip. Mr. Molina seemed just as filled with gossip as a teenage girl or the beauty salon in town. Bella added in a few stories of her own from running into other Fork's transplants in Seattle. She really was enjoying the conversation and the amazing diner food.

When Bella said goodbye to her former teacher, he reminded her that there would always be a spot available for her to teach at Forks High if she wanted it. She remembered how much she misses living in small town, but not enough to move back full time, at least not yet.

Bella slipped into the cab of her truck. After quickly turning on the ignition, she burrowed into her coat to keep herself warm until the heater would kick in about five minutes. She looked around knowing everyone had a right to look at her truck disturbing the peace, but feeling that one particular look was directed at her and not her truck. Once the truck's idle quieted, Bella backed out of the parking lot and headed off for Port Angeles. Bella had flipped the radio playing to fill the silence of the road.

_**"They wanna hear the thanksgiving song! All right." "This is uhh, This is the Thanksgiving Song"  
"I hope you enjoy it."**_

She passed the turn off from the two lane highway to the Quileute reservation when her favorite holiday singer came on. She loved Adam Sandler's Thanksgiving and two Chanukah songs. She started belting along with the song as she drove through the towering trees toward Port Angeles glad that no one could hear her especially over the loud engine.

_**Love to eat turkey  
Love to eat turkey**_

_**[Shout from Crowd:] "I love you Adam!"  
[Adam Sandler:] "Ohhh, I love you!"  
Love to eat turkey  
Cause it's good  
Love to eat turkey  
Like a good boy should  
Cause it's turkey to eat  
So good**_

_**[Adam Sandler:] "That clappin's messing my head up man. I appreciate it  
But I was trying to think of the next line and all I hear is clapping  
Here we go... Thanks anyways"**_

Bella laughed because she always tried to clap on the beat, but she never had quite the right rhythm. Her father blamed his side of the family because no one could carry a tune in a bucket and because he had picked up her mother when she was being paid to dance in a Seattle's retro club's gogo cage when he was about to graduate from the police academy. Bella shook her head clearing the random thought as she continued on the road.

_**Turkey for me  
Turkey for you  
Let's eat the turkey  
In my big brown shoe  
Love to eat the turkey  
At the table  
I once saw a movie  
With Betty Grable  
Eat that turkey  
All night long  
Fifty million Elvis fans  
Can't be wrong  
Turkey lurkey doo and  
Turkey lurkey dap  
I eat that turkey  
Then I take a nap**_

Bella frowned at the last two lines know the Charlie's fairy tale of what would happen this afternoon and what she knew would be the reality. Even though Charlie promised to wash all of the dishes from today, she was going to end up being the one doing them. Sue will probably nag Charlie to join her in the living room to help with entertaining the guests until he concedes. Sue would heavily imply that Charlie needs to keep the doctor and his family happy to keep them in Forks, even though doing the dishes would show them that this town is an "everyone pitches in" kind of town. Then, after Charlie will sit down to talk and watch the game for about ten minutes before falling asleep for the next few hours.

_**Thanksgiving is a special night  
Jimmy Walker used to say Dynomite  
That's right  
Turkey with gravy and cranberry  
Can't believe the Mets traded Darryl Strawberry  
Turkey for you and  
Turkey for me  
Can't believe Tyson  
Gave that girl V.D.**_

"Why would anyone want to think about V.D. on Thanksgiving?" Bella thought again for the millionth time.

_**White meat, dark meat  
You just can't lose  
I fell off my moped  
And I got a bruise  
Turkey in the oven  
And the buns in the toaster  
I'll never take down  
My Cheryl Tiegs poster  
Wrap the turkey up  
In aluminum foil  
My brother likes to masturbate  
With baby oil  
Turkey and sweet potato pie  
Sammy Davis Jr  
Only had one eye**_

Bella made a mental note to herself to look up a recipe for sweet potato pie while she was at the store. If she was making Charlie try a new way to make turkey, she might as well make him try sweet potato pie along with his favorite pumpkin pie.

_**Turkey for the girls and  
Turkey for the boys  
My favorite kind of pants  
Are corduroys  
Gobble gobble goo and  
Gobble gobble gickel  
I wish turkey  
Only cost a nickel  
Oh I love turkey on Thanksgiving**_

_**Happy Thanksgiving everybody!**___

Bella continued on listening to the radio on her drive, but she had to keep turning it up because the engine kept getting louder. She made a promise to the vehicle that if would last the day; she would let Jacob give it a full work up tomorrow.

She eased into a parking spot at the edge of the grocery store lot and walked up to the deserted looking store.

_Author's Note~_

_I love Adam Sandler. I got the lyrics from . _

_I have random thoughts while listening to and doing things and that will be coming though with Bella._

_DuckiBelle_


	5. 6 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**6am**

Bella walked into the grocery store grateful that there was warm air being pumped throughout the store. She grabbed a cart and started off. Bella shrugged off her jacket and checked her note pad to remind herself of the ingredients that she still needed.

A few aisles into her searching, Bella found herself humming along with the instrumental Christmas music softly playing over the speakers. She weaved through the aisle with great ease because of the early hour.

After finding the fresh vegetables and marshmallows even the extra jar of fluff for peanut butter and fluff sandwiches with Jacob while the "adult" adults ate leftovers tomorrow, Bella was about to turn the corner when someone whipped around it to slam into her. "Omg, I am so sorry! I was just trying to get done and home before my kids wake up because Lord knows their father does nothing." A quick voice said fussing in the buggy she was using, making sure nothing had fallen or spilled. The woman looked up and screamed, "Bella!"

Bella found herself engulfed by big hair and strong arms. "Jessica?" The hair next to her face nodded excitedly.

Jessica pulled back from Bella. "I cannot believe you are here. I haven't seen you for ages."

"We just saw each other when I was up for Memorial Day." Bella said stepping back slightly from her friend from high school.

"But I haven't gotten to hear about your summer teaching at that school in Australia!" Jessica gushed. "It must have been so weird. At least, you knew the language, right?"

"I was weird and amazing!" Bella agreed. "I did get to pick up some new slang words from the students. My dad doesn't like when I mutter them under my breath any more than American ones."

"My promise me that you will never teach them to my kids!" Jessica said with a sarcastic laugh that Bella could quite tell if the request was serious or a joke. "How hard was it to adjust to the weather?"

"It was fine. It was winter when I went, but the area I went to does not get much snow, It pretty much seemed like late fall or early spring here."

"That stinks that you did not get much summer."

"Does anyone here ever get much summer?" Bella laughed. "Did anything fun happen up here while I was gone?"

"The only change that has happened in years is the doctor and his whole family moving in." Jessica said sounding bored with small town life. Turning her smile on, she finished with, "You have no idea how much of an uproar that was!"

"I can imagine seven new adults in the area would make any difference."

"Doc hired one of the younger ladies at the mechanic's shop because she was the cause of several accidents in town." Jessica said giggling.

"She caused the accidents?"

"Yep. Rosalie is drop dead, walking the catwalk, stopping traffic with screeching tires beautiful. I started taking her sister-in-law's exercise class just to keep Mike slightly interested in me." Jessica said with a tight smile. "Rosalie won't leave her Emmett though. They act like a couple of teenagers sometimes. The chief even caught them making out in the woods when he was going hunting with Jacob."

"So, Rosalie is Doc's new receptionist?" Bella asked as she nodded her head to an older lady making an arc around the conversing friends.

"Oh, no! That is the funniest part!" Jessica giggled. "She knows cars better than Doc or any of his sons do! Rosalie pretty much runs the shop after two weeks with the Murphy boys falling over themselves trying to impress her. Doc likes that he can relax and only has to come in to do the books. Rumor is he may even sell the shop and move to a warmer climate."

"Wow!" Bella said shocked. "My dad told me none of this."

"Has you dad ever followed the gossip in this town?"

"Yes, that ONE time you convinced me to go skinny dipping, cliff diving at First Beach."

"That wasn't from the gossip train. That was Jacob running to tell the Chief because he wanted to protect your virtue and reputation. Also, he did not like you hanging around with the teenage mom." Jessica said giggling again. "That boy thought you were so beautiful and wanted to keep you all to his self then."

"I am going to murder that boy!" Bella said her anger rising. "I was so mad at Leah Clearwater for spreading that around so much that my dad found out, but it was Jacob!"

"Leah did spread it to anyone that would listen, but Jacob's the one that told the Chief."

"Well, that boy has another thing coming if he wants any more peanut butter and fluff sandwiches from me."

Jessica's cell phone chimed startling them both. "Hello, Mike. I am at the grocery store. There is more cereal in the basement. I will be home as soon as I can." She said before hanging up with a sigh. "I have to go Bella. Will I see you at the diner tomorrow night before the tree lighting?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Thirty minutes later, the only item that Bella had difficulty finding was the pomegranate molasses. There was an empty section where pomegranate and apricot molasses was supposed to be. As she was just getting ready to give up, a stock person showed up to replenish the shelf.

The stock guy laughed at Bella's little, happy dance when he handed her a jar before filling the shelf. "Are you obsessed with Bobby Flay, too? My mom and several of her friends cleaned the store out on Monday. This is the earliest we could get the stuff back in because Bobby Flay has caused a shortage of this stuff the past two years during the holiday season. Normally, we cannot pay people to take these off of our hands."

"Thanks for this." Bella said smiling as she placed the jar in her cart. "Plus, Bobby is good looking for an older man."

Thirty minutes later, Bella stood at the front of the store double checking her list for anything she forgot to look for. Every item on her list was checked off, so she finished making her way to the check outs. Bella went through the check out quickly before putting her jacket on and heading to her truck for her almost hour long drive home.


	6. 7 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**7am**

Bella left the city limits of Port Angeles hoping her truck that was beginning to make an ear-splitting, horrible noise made it all the way back to Forks. It would be even more helpful if the truck got her to Charlie's house before Sue and Leah arrived.

The road was clear and Bella was grateful. Her truck was getting louder and louder the closer she got to Forks. Not being particularly religious, Bella was praying to any deity that would listen. Five miles outside of Forks, the truck started shaking as it moved forward and the loud noise turned into a squeal.

"Come on," Bella pleaded with her truck. "We only have a mile and a half left to go. I need to get to Charlie's house before Sue!"

Apparently, the truck decided to defect to Sue's side because Bella made it travel four hours from Seattle to Forks yesterday and then, drive for another two hours this morning. It shuddered to a halt before backfiring so loudly that the snow fell from the nearby trees.

The truck seemed to sigh as it coasted to the side of the road. Bella sighed along with it. She hoped deep in her heart that this would be the only low point of the day.

_Author's Note~_

_In case I forgot to mention, this story is all human with spunky & funky humor._

_DuckiBelle_


	7. 8 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**8am**

Bella's head hit the steering wheel in frustration. Her day is not very far to being ruined. If she did not get herself and all of these groceries a mile and a half down the road, Sue would take over in the kitchen and Bella would be at the inferior cook's mercy.

Deciding to not give up, Bella hopped out of the dwindling warmth of the truck and stomped toward the front. When she opened the hood a huge puff of smoke billowed out and up toward the sky.

"Well, I don't think that even Jacob will be able to fix my truck this time." Bella said as she let the hood slam back down.

Bella climbed back into the truck cab and thought about her next move. She could try to carry all of the different grocery bags the whole way to the house in the brief interlude of no rain or she could try to call her father's deputy, Mark, to see if he could come give her a ride.

Bella turned to grab her purse to call Mark and she saw her big, gym bag stuffed behind the bench seat. A new plan quickly formed in her head. Even though it was still not fully baked, it seemed to be the best because now she would not have to pull Mark away from his family this morning.

Bella hopped out of the truck again and rounded to the other side. After opening the door, she yanked and pulled at the bag to get it loose. She emptied the clean gym clothes and towel out of the bag and onto the floor of the passenger seat. She quickly filled the bag up with the multiple grocery bags.

She hefted the bag onto her left shoulder, adjusted her cross-body purse strap, pushed down the lock, and slammed the door shut. She started walking and adjusting her stride to compensate for the extra weight against her left hip.

Bella was impressed with herself after just five minutes she had already walked almost a half mile. If she continued to walk this pace or even a touch slower, she could still make it to the house first. After another five minutes of walking, Bella paused her walking to switch the bag to her right hip and to take several deep breaths. After several more blocks, she could see Charlie's street sign. She continued on hoping not to see a Jeep Wrangler in Charlie's driveway when she turned the corner in just three blocks.

Bella turned her head to look for oncoming traffic when an emerald green Ashton Martin seemed to be coming straight at her. She jumped back out of the way and ended up falling on her ass. Then, the car hit a puddle right next to where Bella had landed.

Bella stood up after the car disappeared around another corner a few blocks away. She was covered in water, mud, and muck. She was grateful that her gym bag was waterproof and none of the food inside would be ruined.

Bella waddled to the house very uncomfortably. Her jeans were stuck to her legs. Muck was running into her shoes. Her hair was cold and becoming stiff as the water in it froze. To top things off, the duffle bag seemed to have tripled in weight.

Bella trudged to the back of the house because she did not want to track everything on her through the house. She unlocked the back door, but left the duffle bag, squishy shoes, and her dripping jacket outside on the back porch.

Setting her clean purse on the counter, Bella stripped down to her skivvies and took off tripping up the stairs to her bedroom. Bella grabbed another pair of jeans, a navy blue tee, thick wool socks, and fresh panties before hopping into the shower.

Bella had to wash her hair twice to get all of the muck out of it. Once she was fully clean again, she dressed quickly. She kept her ears open to hear if there was any movement downstairs. Thankfully, the house was still quiet around her.

Bella descended the stairs as she quickly French braided her hair to keep it out of her way while cooking. She knew she did not have much time left because of the unexpected walk and shower. She hoped she had enough time to get everything in the house before anyone else arrived.

As Bella moved to the back door, she called the police station to let them know about her truck. She assured the operator that she would have Charlie and some of the other gentlemen coming over to push it to the house in the afternoon. Then, she opened the back door to see that no bears or deer or any other animals had gotten to the bag.

It took only ten minutes for Bella to empty the grocery bags out of the duffle bag. Then, she draped the bag over the far railing. Bella came inside and grabbed her dirty clothing to add to the beginning to freeze jacket in her hand. She started a load of laundry with a mix of her nasty clothes and Charlie's clothes that were piled in the room. Then, she washed her hands thoroughly because that muck had smelled gross.

Bella pulled out the turkeys and their disposable pans that Charlie had gotten for today from the ovens. Checking the recipe, Bella whisked together her new jar of pomegranate molasses, the horseradish, mustard, salt, and black pepper. As she was setting aside that bowl to meld the flavors, she heard voices coming from the front of the house.

"The invaders have arrived." Bella thought. Then, she plastered her fake, but looked real smile on her face and went to open the door._  
_

_Author's Note~_

_For the rest of the story, Bella will not be alone. Get ready for the guests._

_DuckiBelle_


	8. 9 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**9am**

The voices grew louder until Bella could tell that the owners were just outside the front door. Then, it hit her that Sue was letting herself in the house. Bella also realized that one of the voices was male.

Bella wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and slowly made her way to the door. She wanted to see if she could eavesdrop on the unexpected guests. She got to the door and crouched down underneath the frosted window.

"Do you think she is here?" the deep male voice asked. "I don't see a car, except the police chief's cruiser."

SMACK!

"You dolt!" the melodic female voice snapped. "We just towed her truck to the garage. Seriously, why did I marry you?"

"Because I am so buff!" he answered. Bella could see his shadow strike a couple of body builder poses through the glass. She had to put her hand over her mouth quickly to stifle her giggles.

"Nope, I think it was your ability to help me keep my membership current in the Mile High Club." The female said in a seductive tone.

Bella was not used to hearing things like that except in the play, more like live action porn her freshman roommate was in their second semester. She got on her hands and knees to crawl back toward the kitchen. Once she was there, she put her back against the fridge waiting to see of the couple at the door would ever knock.

A minute or two of muttered voices later, a heavy fist banged on the front door. Bella clumsily stood up hitting her head on the fridge handles three times. She grabbed a pinch of flour and lightly rubbed it on the apples of her cheeks and forehead.

Bella walked to the door and turned the doorknob with a shaking hand. A bombshell, buxom blonde in dark gray, form-fitting, mechanic overalls stood there leaning up against the porch post. Jogging up and down the stairs was a mammoth of a man. Bella had already know that he was not fat, but seeing the defined muscles on his was a very impressive sight even through his white, tight Henley shirt, army green cargo pants, and jean jacket.

"Are you Bella?" The blonde asked. Bella nodded silently, but in her head she could have sworn that she had seen her before in a magazine or billboard not that long ago. "Mark, your father's deputy, asked if I could tow your truck to my garage after you notified the station that it broke down."

"This is why I like small towns, Rosalie." The big guy said. "Everybody is friendly. People help each other here."

"When we lived in New York, you said you loved the anonymity and the chances to be alone even in a crowded place." Rosalie answered back. "You like living anywhere, Emmett."

"Excuse me, Rosalie?" Bella asked timidly. "You have my truck?"

"Yep, I towed it to Doc's garage. I am going to go back and take a look under the hood in just a moment. I thought I would stop by and let you know where it was in case you need to get something out of it."

"You could have just called." Bella said embarrassed by the nice treatment of strangers.

"Would you really have been receptive to or believed me if I had just called?" Rosalie asked cocking an eyebrow. Now, Bella knew that she had seen this woman before in a magazine.

"Your name is Rosalie McCarthy, right?" Bella asked after the woman's name clicked in her head. Rosalie nodded with a slightly confused look on her face. "You are coming here in a few hours for Thanksgiving dinner."

Emmett laughed. "You didn't think of that, now did you, Rosie?" Rosalie quelled his laughter with one look.

"We will see you back here in a few hours." Rosalie said starting to walk down the stairs. She grabbed her husband by the arm and led him out to her tow truck.

Bella waved and shut the door. Going back to the kitchen, she began getting out the ingredients for the no mustard deviled eggs and the three different cranberry sauces. She started the water boiling for the eggs before zesting, peeling, and quartering the oranges.

Bella was just lowering the eggs slowly into the water when the front door burst open. Sue and Leah had arrived. Bella braced herself for arguments and Sue's disapproval.

"Bella is not here, Leah. Her truck isn't in the drive. She probably decided to drive up this morning and didn't get here in time to prepare Charlie and the other men's lunches." Sue said briskly. "Let's get as much done as we can before she gets here to change all the plans for the meal."

"I don't want to cook. I hate cooking." Leah whined as the two women stepped into the kitchen.

Bella wanted to say, _"I made the men their lunches. Plus, I have already changed the plan for the meal. Also, I can do this all myself. You can leave now." _ But Bella could not bring herself stand up to Sue like that, so she just said hello.

"Bella, I need you to help Leah get the groceries out of the trunk of car." Sue said dropping a few grocery bags onto the kitchen table.

"What kind of groceries did you bring?" Bella asked. "Charlie and I made a list together last week. He bought everything on it and I bought a few last minute things for a couple of changes this morning."

"Charlie, doesn't know what all is needed for a Thanksgiving dinner." Sue said waving Bella's statement off.

"I know what we need." Bella replied quietly. In her head, she added, _"I have been making Thanksgiving dinner for one or the other of my parents since I was 10 which means for fifteen years."_

"Bella, you don't know how to cook for these res boys." Sue said talking over Bella's inner thoughts.

Bella headed out the front door in her slippers to follow Sue's instructions or to literally run away. She was not sure which, yet.

As Bella stepped off of the porch steps, a shiny, bright yellow Porsche pulled up right in front of the house causing Leah to stop and whistle. The doors of the Porsche opened and two women gracefully exited the vehicle. The passenger was a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late 30's to early 40's. She had a sweetheart shaped face with a petite body with just the right amount of curves. The driver could be described in one word, pixie. She had short, spiky black hair with bright blue eyes and an upturned nose.

"Hello, Bella." The older woman called.

Leah turned to Bella and sarcastically asked, "When did **you** get rich friends?"

* * *

_Author's Note~_

_Sue & Leah are base off of my friend's former step-mother and former step-sister. They started off cold, but changed after a while in real life (this story is not long enough to see their full change). I cannot wait for you all to read the conversation between Esme and Sue._

_I love having a gas stove! My turkey and ham are cooking quite well. Candles were bought to light dinner. The sides were farmed out to others that are coming over with my father delivering all the supplies that I had. Thank goodness, I made the pies yesterday!_

_DuckiBelle_


	9. 10 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**10 am**

The passenger, who had obviously heard Leah, smiled and waved at me politely. "Bella, dear, can you please come help Alice get the warm pies into the house? I know you said you had everything handled, but I cannot help trying to fill up my own house with the smell of pumpkin pie!"

"Okay, I will be there in one second." Bella said in a confused tone. Then, she turned to Leah, "I will join you in a minute. After all, warm pies take priority over cold groceries in cold weather."

"But Bella!" Leah whined, but Bella had already started walking toward the yellow Porsche.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice squealed as she surprise attacked Bella with a bone crushing hug. Then, in a whisper she said, "Play along like you know us. That is my mom, Esme. My dad is Carlisle, the new doctor. Rosalie, my cousin, said you were by yourself cooking. We decided come to help. Plus, my mom has heard how Sue has been complaining about you being the main cook for Thanksgiving dinner tonight. Mom thinks she is trying to make Charlie depend on her for everything so that he will marry her."

Bella gasped once Alice let her go. She was glad to be able to breathe again. "It is good to see you." Bella said with a genuine smile on her face. She looked into the small trunk and it was overflowing with pies. "How did your mom make all of these pies this morning?"

"She really does insist her house smells like pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. She mixed them up and put them in the refrigerator last night. This morning, she got up early and popped these in her double oven. She has heard about how the reservation boys eat and she knows how Emmett and Jasper eat pie. She figured having extra pies available could not hurt."

Then, Alice started loading Bella's arms with pies. After they each had three pies in their arms, the two women started toward the house, laughing at how much the pies weighed and guessing if they would need two or three more trips to get all of the pies into the house. They set down the pies on the dining room table.

Once they walked through the front door for the third time, they heard raised voices coming through the dining room door from the kitchen.

"Well, I never heard of such a thing, Esme." Sue said with indignation. "I am here to help Bella. I would never try to push her out of the way. This is my Charlie's house, after all, and she is his daughter."

"Is that why I just stopped you from tossing her pomegranate turkey glaze in the bin?" Esme said slapping her gloves against her empty hand.

"This doesn't go with the turkey Charlie wanted." Sue said defending herself.

"If you do not go stand up for yourself soon, Sue will ruin the meal and run Charlie's life. She will do this if he likes it or not." Alice said as she nudged hard with her shoulder Bella as they stood in the doorway.

"Sue, I cannot tie up the oven for up to seven hours for the turkey Charlie thought sounded good. I think he just saw Trisha Yearwood's name and grabbed it instead of reading the actual recipe." Bella said still a little timidly as she and Alice started setting the last of the pies down on the dining table that was across from the wide opening into the kitchen. "I found a recipe the is much more realistic for the oven situation. This is something new and will add a little twist to our normal turkey."

"Is this new twist on turkey Bobby Flay's recipe?" Esme asked with wide eyes. When Bella nodded yes, Esme swooned. "I have wanted to try that since I read about it. I love that man! He is cute and can cook. If only I wasn't happily married…"

"Mom!" Alice said in exasperation.

"Alice, you practically drool over Rocco DiSpirito and you are married!" Esme said shrugging off her coat which Bella took quickly and hung on the coat rack. Then, Esme clapped her hands. "It is time to get to work! Bella, tell us what to do and we will do it."

"Esme, can you please get the potatoes out of the bin next to the basement door and get them ready to boil for the mash? Alice, you please get the cranberries out of the freezer downstairs. I already started quartering the oranges, so I will give you that recipe in a few minutes?" Both of them began moving almost right away. Then, Bella turned to Sue and Leah. "Can you two please cut up the vegetables that are in the fridge? Half of them will be roasted and the other will be fresh. I will make Charlie's favorite ranch dressing and honey mustard dressing for dipping."

"Bella, making those fatty dressings will not be necessary. Charlie and I decided that those calories are not necessary. I bought bottles of fat free dressings." Sue answered quickly.

"Those fat free dressings have too much sugar and Billy Black is diabetic. Plus, my dad always complains they have an after taste. He has always loved my homemade dressings which by the way have very little fat." Bella stated after finally deciding to use her teacher voice and take command of the situation. After taking a deep breath, she added, "Sue, I know that you want to control every aspect of my father's life, but he is not your husband. You need to understand that he and I are a package deal. If you keep treating me like a red-headed stepchild, I will be forced to tell him everything you have done and said to me and about me."

"I have never said a bad word about you, Bella." Sue said. "You are like one of my children."

"Really?" Esme said questioning the other woman. "You have been saying snide comments about Bella and her cooking for the past few weeks at book club, the quilting circle, and the deli counter."

"I never thought I would be accused of such things in **my** Charlie's home!" Sue exclaimed.

"Well, it has happened twice in about twenty minutes." Esme said a little louder than a whisper.

"Also, he was **my** Charlie first and will always be **my** Charlie first." Bella added.

Sue glared at Esme before stating, "Leah, we are leaving. Bella can figure out some way to explain to her father why I am not here."

Bella, Esme, and Alice stood watching as Sue and Leah put their coats on. Then, the two picked up the few meeger grocery bags that they had brought and stomped out of the house.

Bella turned to look at Esme and Alice, "I think I just created myself one too many problems."

Esme whipped her phone out of her pocket. "Let me call a few re-enforcements. Then, we can figure out what to say to Charlie."

* * *

_DuckiBelle_


	10. 11 am

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**11 am**

Bella, Esme and Alice dove right in and began cooking. Before the re-enforcements arrived, the potatoes had been boiled by Esme, some of the cranberries were chopped in the food processer for cranberry relish by Alice before she moved on to chopping up the vegetables, and the eggs had been put on to boil to make deviled eggs.

Esme's re-enforcements showed up in just over twenty minutes in the forms of Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme's husband, Carlisle. Emmett looked the same as before, big and intimidating. He immediately washed his hands and began mashing the potatoes without a masher. Everyone reminded him to leave a few potato lumps within the mashed.

Rosalie had changed out of her mechanic's overalls and was wearing a just above the knee length plum sweater dress with chocolate brown sheer leggings. After asking sweetly for permission to change up the stuffing, Rosalie grabbed an apron to begin making her mother's oyster stuffing with oysters she had brought from home. Bella was excited to try an oyster stuffing because she had never been brave enough to try making it herself. Rosalie and Alice worked well next to each other while Alice was at the stove with the rest of the cranberries making whole cranberry sauce.

Carlisle's outfit complimented his wife's navy sweater on top of a cranberry knee length skirt with his cranberry colored sweater over a navy button up shirt and gray dress slacks. After kissing his wife on the cheek and washing his hands, Carlisle began to snap off the ends of the green beans while Emmett moved on to cooking the bacon that would help flavor the green beans.

The crew of six worked almost seamlessly. The main hiccup was when Emmett tried to put one of the turkeys on as a hat while his aunt-in-law and Bella were glazing the other turkey. The four women in the house were yelling at Emmett not to drop the turkey or he would be a dead man. That meant Carlisle had to run around the house and catch Emmett as he tried to make a break for the front door.

Bella and Carlisle also had to take a small break for a minor injury. Bella caught a hot cranberry that had burst out of the boiling cranberry, sugar, and oranges mixture. She was so excited she actually caught something that it took her a minute to realize that the cranberry was burning her. Finally groaning in pain, Carlisle rushed to her side and called to Alice to bring his medical bag out of the car. After cleaning Bella's hand, Carlisle assured her that it was only a minor burn, but that she needed it wrapped to prevent irritation. Bella laughed that Charlie would not be surprised to find her with an injury when he returned.

Alice's husband, Jasper, appeared shortly before the hour was up. Jasper was a ruggedly handsome man that would look right at home in a Stetson commercial. His dirty blonde, curly, shoulder length hair was endearing rather than off-putting like some men with long hair. Alice automatically put him to work cutting up vegetables. In her opinion, Jasper was not to be trusted with anything more difficult than that in the kitchen.

* * *

_I hope you enjoying this little story and your day! I am having fun posting! My power came back on! Time to make homemade whipped cream without getting cramps in my arm!_

_DuckiBelle_


	11. 12 pm

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**12 pm**

When the men returned from fishing, Charlie and Jacob struggled to get Jacob's father, Billy, into the house. Billy was grumpy because Seth, the youngest of the group, had caught the biggest fish. Seth's largest fish was two pounds more and three inches longer than Billy's largest.

The guys made it into the house and followed their noses toward the kitchen. They all rubbed their stomachs in appreciation of the smells coming from the room.

Charlie realized how many people were in his usually lonely kitchen and with an even bigger smile said, "Hello, everyone! I hope my girls have been hospitable."

Then, he quickly came forward and shook Carlisle hand before turning to Esme, who pulled him into a friendly hug. Esme answered him, "Bella has been perfectly lovely."

Emmett waved his big meaty hands that somehow had mashed potatoes on them again. In unison, Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie said, "Hello, Charlie." The group in the kitchen waited patiently to see Charlie's reaction to Sue and Leah being absent.

Charlie gave his daughter a big hug before looking around the room. "Sue could not keep her mouth shut, could she?"

"What?" Billy asked, confused at Charlie's question.

Jacob chuckled humorlessly under his breath and rubbed his face trying to hide it. Then, Seth said, "My mom does not like sharing Charlie, even with Bella. She must have gotten herself in some kind of huff this morning. Bella _hopefully_ defended herself and my mom turned tail to run back home."

"Charlie, you've known how she felt about me? How she talked about me?" Bella asked with hurt in her voice.

"It is not like that. It is nothing like that, I promise." Charlie answered.

"But it is." Bella said, sitting down into the chair Alice slid behind her.

Charlie bent down on one knee in front of her. "Bells…" Then, he looked around him at the audience. "Can we talk outside?"

Bella followed her father out of the back door and sat calmly on the steps. "Dad, how?"

"I just recently found out, just after I told Sue that you were coming and cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. She yelled that she should get to cook my dinner and host the doctor. I told her that she is my girlfriend, but you are my daughter and will always come first. Sue said she understood and would make an effort to behave better where you are concerned." Charlie said sitting down and rubbing his hands roughly over his face. "I really thought by talking to her, Sue would see sense and change her behavior. If I am being honest with you, Sue is one of the reasons your mother left me and Forks."

Bella stood and started walking towards the woods that bordered the edge of the property. She abruptly turned and walked back to her father. "I need to take a walk, but I will be back soon. Please apologize to the Cullens, McCarthys, and the Blacks. All of the recipes are on my tablet under 'Thanks'. My password is your birth month and day, two digits each."

Charlie's shoulders sank as she walked away from him again.

Bella quickly picked her way to the clearing she had discovered as a child when she spent the summers with Charlie. She sat on the large old tree stump and braced herself on her hands as she leaned back to stare at the sky. She sat there thinking of how she felt betrayed by her father by him loving a woman that belittled his daughter and ruined his marriage.

She glanced at her wrist. Then, she sighed when she remembered that Alice had removed her FitBit moments before Charlie had arrived because it kept getting snagged on the gauze bandage on her burn.

She had just decided to walk back and see if there were still people to cook for when Jacob stepped into the clearing. Bella yelped and Jacob stopped quickly thinking he had frightened her. She pointed down at his feet. He smiled and stepped around the fairy circle of mushrooms that were in his path to her. "I think those fairies love you." Jacob said sitting in front of the stump and leaning back between Bella's legs. "They always seem to show you they are there when you need to believe in love and magic."

Bella just put her chin on top of Jacob's head and lazily draped her arms around his neck.

"I think that girl Alice is an oversized fairy. She's seems so perky and sweet, but piss her off. Whew! She becomes spunkier and feistier than Tinkerbell!"

Bella nodded her head and chuckled at his hair tickling her chin.

"He is lonely, Bella." Jacob said putting his hand on hers. "I know he has you, but you are not here all the time. Charlie is generally a self-sufficient man, but even he needs companionship at times."

"I know." Bella said pulling her hands back and swung a leg over his head. She stood to pace the clearing. "I want him to be happy. I actually squealed when I found out that Sue and Seth were coming to join us for our New Year's day lunch. She kissed him on the cheek when she arrived and I thought I was going to burst into song."

Jacob laughed. "I am sure that everyone there is very glad that you didn't! I have heard you sing while you were in the shower."

Bella bopped him on top of his head as she passed. "A few days later, I was at the grocery store. I was specifically there to stock Charlie's fridge. I heard Sue complaining to one of her friends about me. She was saying things like I only come home to mooch off his hard-earned money and retirement. She was insinuating that she couldn't wait until I was gone and could properly fill Charlie's fridge again."

"The last relationship Sue had was with Harry." Jacob said as if that explained everything. Bella looked at him as if his head had sprouted sunflowers. "She had to do everything for Harry towards the end. Leah would not do anything and Seth was too young to help. That is what she remembers of a relationship."

"I really hope that Charlie can work with her on this." Bella said pulling Jacob up. "I would hate to never return home and only see Charlie in Seattle."

* * *

_Author's Note~_

_My house is smelling great! Plus, it is now warm!_

_DuckiBelle_


	12. 1 pm

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**1 pm**

Bella returned to her father's back yard on Jacob's back. Billy was the first to spot them because he rolled out onto the back porch leading the group that had been working inside. Chuckling, Billy said, "Well, Bell. It is a good thing there is a doctor in your house today."

Jacob eased her down gently onto the second step. "She's not hurt." He joked. "This was a precautionary and speediness measure."

Bella walked up to Billy and kissed his cheek. "You now have dish drying duty, old man."

Alice giggled and took Bella by the hand into the house. Alice and Esme explained what dinner preparations had been accomplished in her absence. Alice, then, said that Charlie had taken Seth home. "Seth is one stubborn teenager. It took Charlie, Carlisle, and Emmett to convince him to get into Charlie's cruiser."

"Seth is such a good kid." Jacob said grabbing a carrot off the vegetable tray. "Have any Bella dips been made yet?"

"Nope, that is next on the agenda." Alice answered. "Why don't you gentlemen go play some football in the back and side yards or watch some game on tv? The three of us want to try and pry Bella's homemade dressings recipes out of her."

The men nodded in agreement and started choosing teams before they even made it out the door. After Bella watched the men carry Billy down the stairs, she turned to the three ladies. "How do you know about my dressings?"

"Charlie brought over a couple of bottles of both kinds as a welcome gift. I had to hide them from Emmett when they came over because he wanted to eat them all himself."

After a dressing lesson, the ladies when to sit at the picnic table on the back porch bundled up in their winter coats. The guys were throwing around a few footballs with Billy coaching from his chair.

With her head following a football that Emmett threw, Rosalie's gaze landed on Bella's duffle bag hanging on the railing. "Bella, dear, what happened to that bag? It looks like it was dragged through a pig's sty."

"It pretty much did." Bella said glancing over her shoulder and chuckling. "I put all the grocery bags in it to get them home when my truck broke down. On my walk, I had to jump out of the way of some overcompensating sports car and I hit the ground in a patch of mud. Then, the car sprayed me when it hit a puddle of filthy water."

In a very un-Alice-like timid voice, Alice asked, "What color was the car?"

"It was so forest green that you could not pick it out of a drone shot of the area."

Alice jumped up and ran around the table. Crushing Bella in a hug from behind, she said, "I am so sorry. I convinced my brother to let me drive the Ashton Martin that he inherited from our grandfather last summer. I am a great driver in my car, but that car is weird. He yelled at me for ten minutes once we made it home."

"It is okay, Alice." Bella answered patting Alice's arms because she was still being hugged. "I got dirty, but not injured. Speaking of dirty, I do need to go check on my laundry. I must decide to toss that bag in the washer or in the bin."

Alice let go quickly. Bella went back into the house holding the bag as far away from her as she could with only two fingertips.

Once Bella was away from the door, Esme turned to Rosalie and the reseated Alice. "Wasn't your brother saying something like the gal HE almost hit this morning seemed really familiar?"

"Yes!" Rosalie accidently yelped. She quieted to continue. "He said that she looked exactly like the gal he went on a recent blind date with in Seattle. He said he acted like a complete idiot and blew the date."

"He tried to call and apologize, but she never returned his calls." Alice said feeling bad for her brother. "That is all the more reason for me to take the blame."

While Alice was quickly texting her brother her cover-up lie about this morning, her husband was standing on the other side of the railing shaking his head. Jasper waved Emmett over to him.

"Bella is Edward's one that got away." Jasper whispered.

"Huh?"

"Remember how Edward was really nervous about that blind date that was really the date he had set up through his boss after seeing her at the school where he occasionally picks up his boss's kid."

"Oh, shit!" Emmett muttered. "He was so plastered when he called me in the middle of his date. She did sound pretty."

"Right!" Jasper said nodding. "Should we give him a heads up or should we see how this plays out?"

"You should stay out of it like I told Alice to do." Rosalie said from above them. "Edward made this mess, let him clean it up himself!"

* * *

_Edward appears very soon!_


	13. 2 pm

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**2 pm**

Charlie arrived as the hall clock struck 2pm. Seth bounded out of the cruiser and called for a pass to be thrown his way.

Carlisle threw him the ball while he asked the young man what he was grateful for.

"I am grateful that my mom was at her sister's house. I am grateful my sister didn't want me around because her boyfriend was coming over." Seth answered after perfectly catching the ball and jogging toward the group at the side of the porch. "Billy, can I stay at your house tonight?"

"As long as you promise not to eat all of my cookies this time." Billy gruffed back.

Bella and Alice, who had been inside checking on the turkeys, came out after hearing all the commotion. Alice's pixie voice yelled dinner will be ready in about an hour."

Emmett yelled, "I am grateful for that!"

Seth tossed the ball in his hand. "Whose next?"

Rosalie started backing up a few paces. "How good is your arm kid?"

Jacob and Billy started laughing. "Run, girl, run!" Billy yelled through his chuckles.

Rosalie kicked off her heels and ran down the steps. She caught the ball as it spiraled through the head over her head. After doing a mini touchdown dance, Rosalie said, "I am grateful to be able to fix people's cars. I love helping people and getting dirty while doing it."

She pointed the ball at Esme. After setting down her coffee mug, Esme caught the lightly tossed ball with ease and a squeal. "I am grateful for my family moving to this lovely town and for still being able to design fabrics so remotely."

Not being very athletic, Esme dropped the ball over the railing into Billy's lap. "Blah."

"You have to answer, Billy." Charlie said laughing and taking a seat on the stairs. "I might have you rinse before you dry."

"Fine." Billy huffed. "I am grateful my son is done with his latest car project and Rachel is coming home for Christmas."

Jacob laughed. "I am done with that car, but I have a new one lined up. It comes in on Sunday."

Billy checked his locked wheels, then he threw the ball at his son's stomach. "You are up, Sonny Boy."

Jacob stood from his doubled position to lots of laughter. "Fine. I am thankful to meet the last Cullen. From the two phone calls I have had with him, I think this afternoon will be quite interesting."

Emmett and Jasper gave each other a glance, which Jacob saw. Everyone, including Jacob, missed the glance that Bella shot her best friend.

Jasper decided to change the subject. "Hey, Jacob! Throw long."

Jacob threw a twenty-five yard pass and Jasper caught it mid-air. "I am happy that my wife is being a sous chef and is not the woman in charge."

"You are to say what you are grateful for." Carlisle said laughing and dodging a thrown glove from his own wife.

"I am grateful for Bella leading the kitchen today!" Jasper said laughing and then running from his wife, who started storming down the stairs. Jasper darted in and out of the woods.

Jasper rounded the house and yelled, "Go long, Chief!" Charlie was laughing to hard to do anything, along with everyone else. Jasper threw the ball anyways. It sailed into through the side yard, the back yard, and landed at the edge of the woods. Alice ran into Jasper's back seconds after he threw. They couple landed on the ground with her tickling his sides causing him to giggle like a small child.

Emmett jogged over to pick up the ball a few moments later. "You ready now, Chief?"

Charlie nodded his head and stood. He caught the ball easily. "I am thankful that my Bella didn't fall for Mike Newton as a sophomore."

"That is something we are all grateful for." Jacob said. "That guy is a hard core di… idiot."

"Nice cover." Bella said giggling.

"Charlie, see if Bella can catch." Jacob said poking fun at his best friend lack of physical prowess.

"Throw it to me," Alice said now that she and Jasper were sitting up on the ground with her on his lap. "Toss it gentle or Jasper might get and elbow to the face!"

As Alice caught the football, the whole group hear a car approaching at a very slow speed. "I am grateful for new friends. Seth, don't tell your sister, but I am so glad I met Bella today."

"Me, too." Bella responded leaning down on the railing next to Esme.

The car pulled to a stop in front of Mrs. Cope's home. Alice winked at Bella and then, threw the ball to her father. Carlisle laughed, "I am glad my wife did not want me to be so stressed and decided we needed to move to a more relaxed environment than an LA emergency unit. Plus, our family decided to move with us for a change of scenery."

Carlisle walked around Billy and handed the ball up to Bella. "What about you, Ms. Swan?"

"I am grateful that…" A car door opened and the driver stepped out. Bella recognized the driver's bronze colored hair immediately. "I am grateful Esme is a great sous chef, all of the instructions are on my tablet, and I have a lock on my bedroom door." She dropped the ball back into Carlisle hands before turning and walking quickly back into the house.

"Bella!" Edward called as he started jogging toward the closing screen door.


	14. 3 pm

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**3 pm**

Charlie looked bewildered between his backdoor and Edward Cullen. "What in the hell is going on here?"

"I think my mystery caller has arrived." Jacob said laughing.

Billy huffed and pointed at Edward. "This is the man that called your phone and left messages. That is interesting."

"Why was my son calling you?" Carlisle asked using the football to point at Jacob.

Jacob walked over to the steps and sat down. "Bella and I have a system. If we go on a date and it is bad, we give out the other's phone number. I have heard most of the messages except for two that were butt dials. Those were garbled."

Esme looked at her husband. "I told you that you were in charge of the boy. My girl is happy, content, and married. If how many times I have caught them making out at our house, I believe will be pregnant soon."

"I was calling you?" Edward asked whipping around to look at Jacob. His brain had finished processing seeing Bella again and caught up with the conversation.

"Yep," Jacob said popping the 'p'.

A second later, the timer went off in the kitchen for the turkeys. Jacob and Alice stood up to help take the turkeys out of the oven. They followed Esme inside where they expected to see Bella, but the kitchen was empty.

Rosalie, Charlie, and Carlisle, came in to help set things out. While Jasper and Emmett talked with Edward outside.

Bella looked out her bedroom window to see Jasper and Emmett leaning against Ed's charcoal grey Ford Edge. They trio looked to be arguing. Bella hoped that she had not ruined Thanksgiving for everyone, especially Charlie's.

Jasper sighed. "Well, this is the latest in a string of screw ups."

"How do you plan on fixing this one?" Emmett asked crossing his arms over his chest. "I think you are going to have to go upstairs."

"Two points." Jasper interjected. He held up a finger as he explains his points. "One, I do not think Charlie will let you upstairs or even in the house. That is from judging the look on his face right now. Two, you would have to yell your apology through her closed bedroom. Nice and loud for every person in the house to hear."

"You are right." Edward nodded his head. "Now, how do you think I can get passed Charlie, the gentleman in the wheelchair, and Dad?"

"Any clue what is going on between our children?" Charlie asked Carlisle.

Carlisle shook his head. "I am not sure. I remember Edward had a blind date a couple of weeks ago. It went pretty bad."

"Pretty bad." Billy laughed. "Your son called Jacob's phone later the night of the date. The message was quite amusing. He was very, very drunk."

"I hope he was not driving my daughter around."

"Oh, no!" Billy chuckled. "The bartender told Bella that Edward was somber when he walked in. She took his keys and got an Uber for them to get to his apartment."

"That's my girl!"

"Bella," came Alice's voice through the door with a small knock. "We are ready to eat. Everything you started smells amazing. I hope you will come down and eat."

Bella walked back to the window. She moved the curtain aside just in time to see Jasper and Emmett move away from the car and toward the house. Ed turned his back toward the car and leaned back.

"Sorry, Alice." Bella whispered to herself. "I have lost my appetite."


	15. 4 pm

_I don't own the characters, setting, recipes, or songs. I do own the story._

**4 pm**

Bella paced as the group downstairs was eating. She did not know if she should go downstairs and apologize or just hid up here until all the Doctor's family left. She had certainly embarrassed herself and her father.

She was just behaving just the way Sue was worried that she would.

Bella flopped back down on her bed. "I am such an idiot!"

Bella knew she should have not gone out on that date. She knew that Bree's dad did not have the best judgement. Hell, the man had been married five or six times. _Why, oh, why, did I go on that fix up?_

Bella decided to head downstairs and stepped onto the landing.

Edward cleared his throat several times before his mother quietly said, "Out with whatever it is, Edward." Bella sat down in the top stair.

"I screwed everything up." Edward said with a sigh. "I was nervous above meeting Bella that I had a drink or maybe five. She had to take me home in an Uber. I had to get sick, but it was on her Uber account. I waited until we got out of the car. Too bad, I got sick on her shoes."

"Dude, that is bad!" Emmett said.

Bella had to cover her mouth to stop her giggle from carrying down the stairs. _I wonder if her remembers pinching my ass and calling me hot?_

Edward continued. "The truth is I had my boss, Riley, set up the date through his kid, Bree. I had seen Bella walk the debate team out of the school several times when I was picking up Bree practically every week. I asked Bree lots of questions about about her debate coach."

"You used a kid, little one?" Alice asked, disgusted.

"Edward is bigger than you, Alice." Carlisle commented.

Alice picked up her glass of sparkling cider. "He may be bigger, but I am far more mature and twenty minutes older."

"Anyways, I am not proud of using Bree." Edward explained. "Bella is beautiful. Most of you know that I love a woman that can argue." His entire family nodded.

"I do." Jacob said. "You said so on one of your many voice messages. Do you want me to play those for Bella?"

"No. Please erase them." Then, he continued, "It is not like I could just run up to her and introduce myself. 'Hi! My name is Edward. I watch you when I pick up my boss' kid, Bree. I think you are pretty. Want to go on a date with me?'"

"If that is who you actually are, I would have liked that better." Bella said from the doorway. "I hated the smug, pompous, drunk man that I met that night."

_Author's Note~_

_Sorry about the lateness. My ex decided to be almost an hour late to bring my daughter to me. Then, I had to drive 25 minutes home._

_DuckiBelle_


End file.
